Archive for May, 2016

Monday, May 23, 2016
Green Party endorses March for Our Lives in Philadelphia on July 25 during the Democratic convention

http://gpus.org/other/press/pr-national.php?ID=910
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Green Party has endorsed a march organized by the Poor People’s Economic Human Rights Campaign (PPEHRC) in Philadelphia on July 25, the opening day of the Democratic National Convention. Cheri Honkala, leader and co-founder of PPEHRC, was the Green Party’s vice-presidential candidate in 2012, running with nominee Jill Stein. Honkala, a long-time activist, used her campaign to give the poor, homeless, and jobless a voice during the election year.
PPEHRC held a press conference on May 17 and confirmed that “March for Our Lives” will take place on July 25 with or without a permit. According to a statement from PPEHRC organizers, “The City of Philadelphia will spend upwards of $60 million to house millionaires and billionaires but yet continues to fail in providing for its most vulnerable citizens. The denied demonstration intends to shed light on the city’s unemployment and homelessness issues and demand accessible housing and living wages in Philadelphia.” [Contact for the march: Cheri Honkala, 215-869-4753, cherihonkalappehrc@gmail.com.]
“Greens support the march because it represents the demand for a better world. We believe that a better world is possible, but not as long as the two corporate parties maintain exclusive power. It’s time to end the war on poor people and begin the war on poverty,” said Chris Robinson, membership secretary of the Green Party of Philadelphia, which has also endorsed the march.
PPEHRC is fighting a decision by the Philadelphia city officials to deny PPEHRC a permit to hold a protest on Broad Street during the Democratic convention, http://www.gp.org/philly_denied_dnc_protest_permit_to_hide_poverty_activists_claim. Green Party members have participated in protests at Democratic and Republican conventions in previous presidential election years and will do so again in 2016.
“We’ve seen a sustained bipartisan assault on economic rights and security for working people and the poor during the last generation. Led by Bill Clinton in the early 1990s, the Democratic Party made a decision to discard its New Deal and Great Society tradition and focus instead on winning support from the One Percent. Democrats bought into the doctrine of privatization, globalization, deregulation, and service to the corporate sector,” said Sanda Everette, co-chair of the Green Party of the U.S. and member of the coordinating committee of the Green Party of California.
“In Philadelphia and all over the U.S., we’re seeing the results of that decision — jobs disappearing across the border, sinking wages, foreclosures, slashed services, families breaking up because of financial stress. The Philadelphia convention is the perfect occasion to confront Democrats — and Hillary Clinton in particular — over their responsibility for this state of affairs,” said Everette.
Green candidates have promoted a “Green New Deal” to create millions of new jobs, stimulate the economy, and provide sorely needed public services by investing in efforts to stop the advance of global warming through new energy technologies, conservation, expansion of public transportation, retrofitting homes and buildings, and other public-works projects.

The Green Party will hold its presidential nominating convention in Houston, Texas, August 4-7 ( http://www.gp.org/pnc-2016 Media credentialing: http://www.gp.org/media-credentials ).

“Democrats and Republicans are very generous with public assistance — when it’s received by Wall Street, military contractors, Big Oil, and other business elites. They pretend that public services and resources for working people and the needy place a strain on the budget, while spending trillions for endless war. The Green Party has a more humane vision for the country’s future — an economy that serves people instead of corporations,” said Matt Funiciello, Green candidate for U.S. Congress from New York’s 21st District.

Hello, Green Party Representative.
The Green Party City Committee has asked me to make a presentation to the Green Party Membership meeting at 7:00 pm on May 25 at Alma Mater, 7165 Germantown Avenue in Mount Airy, Philadelphia. Unfortunately, I will be on the Appalachian Trail at that time. Therefore, I have decided to make my presentation in writing to GPOP NEWS as GPOP EOW Group Report #13.
This will also bring you up to date on what has happened since Report #12, which you received on May 14. [Green Party Representatives receive approximately two EOW Group Reports each month. If any one would like to receive these Reports, they may become a Green Party Representative to help us build the Green Party. Back issues of EOW Group Reports may be found here.]
As your elected GPOP Membership Secretary, I have been working to build the GPOP Election Operations Working (EOW) Group to fulfill the three tasks given to it by our membership on September 30, 2015. Mainly, I have been recruiting voters to become a Green Party Representative in their neighborhood. The EOW Group began this year with seven Representatives, Ernest (Ward 12, Wister), Matt (Ward 13, Nicetown), Hillary (Ward 46, Cedar Park), John, Eric and Chris (Ward 59, Germantown), and Judy (Ward 61, Olney).
Since that time, we have lost one Representative, but we have been joined by Bernadette Marie and Beverley (Ward 21, Roxborough), Christel (Ward 46, Cedar Park), Charles (Ward 54, East Oxford Circle), and Galen (Ward 65, Torresdale). Our newest Representative is James (Ward 27, University City). We now have 12 Green Party Representatives — a 71 percent increase in four months. Some of these new Representatives have attended GPOP meetings and all are circulating our nominating petitions.

Task: Recruit Green Party Candidates
During 2015, our EOW Group sent emails to movement organizations asking if any of their members would consider running in the 2016 General Election as a Green Party candidate on a single-issue platform: peace, single-payer healthcare, renewable energy or anti-mass-incarceration. At the suggestion of one renewable energy activist, I contacted Dr. Vera Cole, “The Guru of Solar Energy.” Unfortunately for us, The Guru had already decided to run for PA Representative as a Democrat.
Each list was approached two more times during 2016: in January to let them know that the Green Party had a continuing interest, and in March to let them know that we are now recruiting candidates for 2017 and 2018.
Earlier this month, I sent an email to three renewable energy lists asking them to support the Green Party’s three candidates for PA Representative – all of whom are against fracking and none of whom are running in Philadelphia.
Your EOW Group also approached MK Feeney to run for District Attorney in 2017. MK turned down our request because she is building a new, private practice after many years as an assistant district attorney. We will contact her again when the time is right.

Task: Build an Infrastructure to Win Elections
Our EOW Group has reached out to our membership to find volunteers who will become involved in developing the skills we will need for future growth. We have been grateful to find Robert Jaffe, who is interested in video work. Robert is planning to video the March 4 Our Lives on July 25.
Of course, there are many other tasks for creative Green Party Representatives. We are looking for people to create a website, manage our email list, build our media contacts, and produce regular fundraising/entertainment events. We hope that more people will become Green Party Representatives to learn these skills.

Task: Organize Campaign Workers
Our EOW Group began recruiting more Representatives by contacting the members of GPOP NEWS, and the volunteers who worked on Green Party campaigns during 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2015.
Then, as an experiment, I telephoned some new Green Party members, using a list of numbers provided by the Philadelphia Voter Registration Office. The response was extraordinary. This seemed like a promising avenue to increase Green Party activism. These people already have an interest in the Green Party, and it is an easy way to engage them in our activities.
Two Representatives, Bernadette Marie and Charles, have agreed to help me with phone calls to other, new Greens. Political interest is high in a presidential election year, so now is our moment. So far, we have called 65 new Greens, and the 17 interested ones have given us their email addresses. This 26 percent positive-response rate is a great step forward for our party.
We will resume our calls to new Greens when we have a location for the June 22 Membership Meeting. Please let me know if you will help, and I will round up just six or eight phone numbers for you.

Our EOW Group has also begun collecting signatures on the Green Party nomination papers. This year, we were able to start early. On Primary Election Day, seven Representatives collected 508 signatures, the best we have ever done. This week, I will submit 717 signatures collected by Green Party Representatives for verification by the Jill Stein Campaign for President. We are looking for more people to join us as Green Party Representatives because this is the only way we will see Green Party candidates take their rightful place on the ballot.
Here are also some excellent events where we plan to collect nomination signatures in nice weather
(** means new to this list):May 28. Rally against Drone War Command Center, noon, Horsham, PA. June 1. Organized Labor rally, 5:00 pm at the Temple Liacouras Center, 1776 North Broad Street in North Philadelphia. Sponsor: AFSCME 1199C, Hospital and Healthcare Employees.** June 11. Roxborough Summer Solstice Festival, Gorgas Park, 6400 Ridge Avenue in Roxborough.** June 12. Odunde Festival, 10:00 am, 12 city blocks centered around 23rd and South Streets in south Philadelphia.** June 12. Philly Pride Festival, noon at Penn’s Landing, 101 East Columbus Boulevard in Philadelphia.
Please let us know of street festivals in your neighborhood.
I would like to learn what you will do to help us build the Green Party.It is Good to be Green,
Chris Robinson, 215-843-4256
nwgreens@yahoo.com
Membership Secretary
Green Party of Philadelphia

PS: Members of the GPOP EOW Group are called “GPOP Representatives.” According to a motion approved by the GPOP membership on September 30, 2015, the EOW Group has three tasks: “recruiting Green Party candidates who will campaign for office; organizing people to work on those campaigns; and building an infrastructure that will be able to win electoral campaigns.”
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Election of Delegates to GPPA: Members voted the following as delegates to the GPPA: Galen Tyler, Kristin Combs, Cheri Honkala, Liz Ortiz, Charles Sherrouse, Vivek Anathan, Alex Gillett, Eric Hamell, Chris Robinson, and Hillary Kane. Hector Colon and Bernadette Cronin-Geller will serve as alternates. GPOP determined to communicate to GPPA that GPPA delegates in turn to the national convention include (more) people of color. Plans for transportation to the 4/30 GPPA meeting in Harrisburg were discussed.

Petitioning update: We are required to submit up to 22,000 signatures, so our goal is ca. 30-35,000. Chris reported 626 signatures from Phila. to date; petitions should be submitted to Chris or ? as soon as possible. Planning is underway for petition training in Kensington. Upcoming petitioning events include May 1st, May Day event in Clark Park; May 6th at First Friday; May 7th at Mt. Airy Day; May 14th at the Saul High School Agricultural Fair; and the June 6th Gorgas Park Solstice Music Festival. Members were encouraged to “own” other individual dates and events for group canvassing. Tausif Khan is the PA coordinator of petitioning.

Analysis of Corporate Parties’ Primary: Socialist Alternative has invited Bernie to run as president, w/Jill Stein as the V.P. candidate. The July 25thMarch for our Lives will encourage delegates to walk off the convention floor, come to our tent, and register as Green. Jill Stein will announce a demonstration and press conference on Wed., July 27th, after the nomination has been announced.

Planning for Demonstrations at the Democratic National Convention: GPOP has already endorsed March for our Lives; we need to make sure our presence is very strong and noticable. Everyone should already be making signs. Buses will be coming in from all over the country, and we need to work to fill them. The Monday March for Our Lives will be preceded by the Sunday environmental march led by Food and Water Watch et al; at noon that day there will also be a GPPA coordinated state meeting and fundraiser. The list of MfoL endorsers will be posted soon on the website, at www.marchforourlives2016.org; see also the FB and Twitter presence.

Discussion of future outreach events: tabled till our next mtg.

Dedicated outreach mtgs. and Green Nights Out: The 5/14 Green Night Out event will be postponed. Other speaker ideas for GNOs included Cheri Honkala, speaking about the March for Our Lives.

Announcements
–5/9, 6 p.m.PPEHRCFilm Fundraiser for the March, at Connie’s Rickrack Bar
–5/14. 2 p.m.March for our Lives picnic/conversation/planning meeting, at the PPEHRC farm, 2nd& Susequehanna, together with the War Resisters League. There will also be a “reality tour.”
–Bernadette is still working on getting info concerning affordable housing in Germantown/Mt. Airy; the issue will also be prominent at the MfoL, in the form e.g. of a huge tent city.
–Rev. Edward Pinkney is still stting in jail. Funds were collected to make a GPOP contribution to his legal costs.

Hello, Green Party Representative.
In the next few weeks, there are some excellent locations for each of us to collect signatures on nomination papers. Please see the listing below for details.
The following will bring you up to date on what has happened since Report #11, which you received on May 2.

Task: Build an Infrastructure to Win Elections
Please welcome Robert Jaffe, whose specialty is video production. Robert has been linked up with Greens who are organizing the March for Our Lives, July 25, at the Democrat’s convention in Philadelphia. We look forward to working with Robert in the future.
We still need Representatives to help with website construction, email list, and fundraising. Can you help with any of these projects? Do you have any of the required skills? If not, are you ready to learn these skills?

Task: Organize Campaign Workers
Telephone calls to new Green Party members, which had been going quite successfully, have ground to a halt because there was a delay in finding a location for the next Green Party Meeting. It will take place at 7:00 pm on Wednesday, May 25, at Alma Mater in Mount Airy.
We will resume our calls to new Greens after that date. Please let me know if you will help, and I will round up just six or eight phone numbers for you.

Here are also some excellent events to collect nomination signatures in nice weather warms (** means new to this list):May 15. Chestnut Hill Home and Garden Festival, 11:00 am until 5:00 pm. You will meet many Montgomery County voters, so be sure that you have Montgomery County nomination papers with you. If you need petitions, please contact Chris.May 21. Rittenhouse Row Spring Festival, six blocks of Walnut Street (including Rittenhouse Square) will host 50,000 visitors. Beyond the eats, there’s also live music, free wine tastings, fashionable shopping and more.May 21. Kensington Petitioning at noon. Location to be announced. Please RSVP to Galen (215-883-9771).
** May 21. March against Monsanto, noon, Thomas Payne Plaza/Municipal Service Building, 1401 John F Kennedy Blvd, Philadelphia.
** May 28. Rally against Drone War Command Center, noon, Horsham, PA.
** June 1. Organized Labor rally at 5:00 pm at the Temple Liacouras Center, 1776 North Broad Street in North Philadelphia. Sponsor: AFSCME 1199C, Hospital and Healthcare Employees.
Please let us know of street festivals in your neighborhood.

Please respond to this email and tell me what you will do to help us build the Green Party.It is Good to be Green,Chris Robinson, 215-843-4256
nwgreens@yahoo.com
Membership Secretary
Green Party of Philadelphia
PS: Members of the GPOP EOW Group are called “GPOP Representatives.” According to a motion approved by the GPOP membership on September 30, 2015, the EOW Group has three tasks: “recruiting Green Party candidates who will campaign for office; organizing people to work on those campaigns; and building an infrastructure that will be able to win electoral campaigns.”
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Hello, Green Party Representative.
You did a fantastic job at your polling places during the Primary Election. Thank you very much for spending the time and for collecting those signatures on Green Party nomination papers. Here is a look at how we did individually and collectively. The numbers collected from each Representative (pre-primary/primary-day): Ernest (0/38), Beverley (37/77), Bernadette Marie (2/34), Hillary (0/38), Chris (8/109), Charles (36/62) and Judy (0/150). Total signatures collected: 591. This just shows how each of us contributing a small piece will add up to a sizeable quantity.
I hope that you will be able to participate in some of the signature-collecting events which are planned for this month. The next one is Mount Airy Day (5/7). Please see the calendar (below) for the specific information. This is always a fantastic place to meet people, talk politics, and collect signatures.
The following will bring you up to date on what has happened since Report #10, which you received on April 11.

Task: Organize Campaign Workers
Telephone calls to new Green Party members continue to be quite successful. Bernadette Marie, Charles and I have called 53 people and received email addresses from 17 of them. I sent these new Greens an email welcoming them to our Party and inviting them to our General Membership Meeting on April 27.
We would like more GPOP Representatives working with us. Please let me know if you will help, and I will round up just six or eight phone numbers for you.
Please welcome Christel, our most recent Green Party Representative and our second in Cedar Park, Ward 46.

On Primary Election Day, Beverly tells me that one of her Roxborough neighbors refused to sign the Green Party nomination paper because she wanted Donald Trump to win the November. According to Beverly, her son pointed out, “Mom, if they steal Trumps nomination at the Republican Convention and he has to run as an independent, you might be asking Beverly for her signature.” At that point, the neighbor grabbed the clipboard and signed.

Here are also some excellent events to collect nomination signatures as the weather warms up:
** May 6. First Friday Petitioning at 5:30 pm, Second and Race Streets in Old City, Philadelphia. Please RSVP to Charles (215-743-3767).
** May 7. Action United mobilization at the oil refinery, 1:00 pm, 28th Street and Passyunk Avenue in South Philadelphia. See: www.RightToBreathe2016.org or call 215-584-4602 for more information.May 7. Mount Airy Day, http://www.mtairyday.org/, is always a good place to collect signatures, and it is fun for the whole family: live music on two stages, a Kid Zone, and plenty of vendors. The Green Party will have a table which you can use as a base. RSVP to Chris, 267-977-0570.
** May 14. Saul Country Fair Day, 10:00 am, 7100 Henry Avenue in Roxborough, Philadelphia. Please RSVP to Bernadette Marie (267-275-5814). http://saulcountryfairday.weebly.com/May 15. Chestnut Hill Home and Garden Festival, is not as good as the May Day Festival, but it might be more convenient for you. There will be many Montgomery County voters, so be sure that you have Montgomery County nomination papers with you. If you need petitions, please contact Chris the week before.
** May 21. Rittenhouse Row Spring Festival, six blocks of Walnut Street (including Rittenhouse Square) will host 50,000 visitors. Beyond the eats, there’s also live music, free wine tastings, fashionable shopping and more.
** May 21. Kensington Petitioning at noon. Location to be announced. Please RSVP to Galen (215-883-9771).
Please let us know of street festivals in your neighborhood.

Please respond to this email and tell me what you will do to help us build the Green Party.It is Good to be Green,
Chris Robinson, 215-843-4256
nwgreens@yahoo.com
Membership Secretary
Green Party of Philadelphia
PS: Members of the GPOP EOW Group are called “GPOP Representatives.” According to a motion approved by the GPOP membership on September 30, 2015, the EOW Group has three tasks: “recruiting Green Party candidates who will campaign for office; organizing people to work on those campaigns; and building an infrastructure that will be able to win electoral campaigns.”
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